Old Father Thames and Magnet Fishing

Gabriel and I decided to explore the River Thames in Lechlade. Our goal was to find “Old Father Thames,” the iconic statue standing watch over the river’s banks, but we ended up discovering a whole new kind of adventure along the way!

The walk to Old Father Thames was peaceful, with the gentle flow of the river beside us and the lush greenery of Lechlade all around. Gabriel was excited to finally see the statue, a figure that holds such a presence and history along this ancient river. We spent a few moments admiring the statue and imagining the stories it could tell about the river’s past.

As we returned to Lechlade, we noticed an older boy nearby, pulling something up from the water. Curious, we wandered over, and Gabriel was fascinated to see him hauling up small metal objects with a strong magnet attached to a rope. Magnet fishing! It was a whole new concept to us—so simple, yet so full of possibilities. Gabriel’s eyes lit up as he watched, and the older boy, noticing Gabriel’s interest, kindly invited him to give it a try.

With a quick tutorial, Gabriel was off, casting the magnet into the water and eagerly pulling it back, hoping for a hidden treasure, the thrill of discovering something kept Gabriel hooked. We laughed together at the idea of “fishing” for treasures and how each little find felt like a small victory for our newfound bounty hunter.

The experience was a surprise, and as we walked back from the river, Gabriel couldn’t stop talking about his magnet fishing adventure. We never knew such a simple activity could be so fun—and it added an extra bit of magic to an already lovely day by the river.

As we headed home, Gabriel was already plotting our next magnet fishing expedition, ready to uncover whatever hidden relics the river had to offer. This little encounter turned into a memory we’ll treasure, showing us how sometimes, the simplest adventures are the ones we’ll remember the most.